Introduction

Why did my brother die?

Death is the only means by which the spirit
of people can enter into the presence of God. In fact, God rejoices in the
death of those who love Him, since they can enter directly into His
presence at that time...

Rich Deem

I am sorry about loss of your brother. Since God designed all people as
relational beings, the loss of a loved one is one of the most difficult
experiences of our lives. Nothing that can be said can erase this pain. Although
we understand intellectually that everyone dies at some point, the reason behind
death, especially the death of the young, is not always readily apparent.

Why did God design humans to die?

The question of human death is not easy to understand without a basic
understanding of why God created people in the first place. The Bible says that
people were created with the capacity to love - both each other and God Himself.
Jesus said that the most important commandment was to "love the Lord your
God"1 and that the second most important
commandment was to "love your neighbor."2
In doing these things, we fulfill our purpose for our lives and glorify God.3
The capacity for love comes directly from God, whom the Bible says is the
embodiment of love.4 Although the ability to love
and be loved is a source of great joy, when the object of that love, your
brother, died, it was a great sorrow to you.

God's love is virtually limitless. Because of this fact, God's first
commandment to humanity was to "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the
earth."5 God wanted a large number of people
whom He could love. Jesus explained the ultimate goal of God in the parable of
the banquet:

Jesus replied: "A certain man [representing God] was preparing a great
banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his
servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now
ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just
bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' Another said, 'I
have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please
excuse me.' Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' The
servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house
became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and
alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the
lame.' 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is
still room.' Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and
country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.'"
(Luke 14:16-23)

Therefore, God wants not only a relationship with humans in this universe,
but a relationship with billions6 of these
creatures in His future, perfect creation, heaven.
Death is the only means by which the spirit of people can enter into the
presence of God.7 In fact, God rejoices in the
death of those who love Him,8 since they can enter
directly into His presence at that time.

Therefore, the Bible says that the purpose of life is to choose to love or
reject God. Those who love God and accept His provision
for entering into His presence will spend eternity
with God and those other people who love Him. Those who want nothing to do
with God and reject God's offer will be separated
from God for all eternity.

Why did my brother die early in life?

The early, untimely death of loved ones is difficult to understand
emotionally, since we have come to expect that everybody lives at least 70
years. The answer is likely to be different for different individuals. The Bible
does give some reasons for early death. The Bible says that the early death of
the righteous is often done to save them from evil that would have been
inflicted on them by the unrighteous.9 Of course,
the early death of the unrighteous spares the world from further evil and spares
the unrighteous one from even more punishment that he would have to suffer as a
result of his actions.

Will I see my brother again?

Yes! The Bible promises that those who love God and accept His
provision for entering into His presence will spend eternity together with
Him. Since all the people present in heaven
will be perfected to holiness, it will be a joyous time, without the problems of
having to deal with the nastiness of people that we experience in this life. My
hope is that you will take comfort in the promises of God and that He will
comfort and console you during this time.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths
straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

References

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" (Matthew
22:37) See also Deuteronomy 6:5.

"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR
NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'" (Matthew 22:39)

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew
5:16)
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which
God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart
rejoices in Your salvation. (Psalm 13:5)
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal
life." (John 3:16)
And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God
is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in
him. (1 John 4:16)

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God
He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them; and
God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth... (Genesis
1:27-28)

After this I looked and there before me was a great
multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and
language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were
wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Revelation
7:9)

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the
imperishable. (1 Corinthians 15:50)

Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His
godly ones. (Psalm 116:15)

"The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his
heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous
are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into
peace; they find rest as they lie in death. (Isaiah 57:1-2)